BHOPAL, India – People in the central Indian city of Bhopal were Saturday preparing artistic effigies for the upcoming Dussehra Hindu festival.
Working in a warehouse, artists built and painted some 300 giant effigies representing demon kings from the Hindu Ramayana religious texts, an epa journalist reported.
Dussehra, one of the most important religious festivals for Hindus, marks the victory of the god Lord Rama over the evil demon king Ravana.
The artistically-colored human-like figures, some of whose bodies tower several meters over their makers, will be paraded during the festival Tuesday before they are set on fire.
About 500,000 people from Bhopal and surrounding villages are reportedly expected to attend the festivities taking place in different parts of the city.
The metropolis, known as the “City of Lakes” is the capital of the central state of Madhya Pradesh.